You Could Do Better
by loveabove13
Summary: An ongoing series of modern au oneshots. Ivar x OC
1. You Could Do Better

" _You could do better."_

Everyone always told her that. Whispered, sometimes, like it was some sort of secret. Like _he_ wouldn't notice their sideways looks as they whispered into her ears. Her mother had even told her that the very same day she met him.

"Anny," she had said, quietly after he had gone home and they were washing dishes and cleaning up together after dinner had ended, "you could do better."

A hand had reached for her shoulder then as she steadfastly kept her gaze on the dishes she was washing. "I don't think I can," Antoinette had replied in a low whisper.

"You could do better", a sentence told to her at every turn, even from strangers she had never spoken to. Even from people she had barely spoken to in her college courses. And still, she didn't think she could.

For all of his faults, Ivar Ragnarsson held her heart. He was someone that scared professors and students alike with his anger. In freshman year, she had witnessed him knock out a guy with a punch to the temple for calling him "Boneless". She had later found out that it wasn't just teasing about him being the crippled son of the well-known Ragnar Lothbrok. It had something to do with an incident from his senior year of high school. But that didn't bother her.

She wasn't bothered by the way he spoke to her when he was in a lot of pain, all full of anger and condescension. She wasn't bothered by the crutches he had to use to get around. She wasn't bothered by the antagonistic way his older brother, Sigurd, spoke to her when she came across him at school.

"You could do better" was just a common thing for her to hear. She just wasn't used to it coming from _him_ of all people. He was lying in bed beside her, shirt off and left arm around her waist. He wasn't looking at her, staying up at the ceiling of his room. "Why are you still with me?"

She looked at him, taking in the beautiful features of his face. "I don't think I can," she replied.


	2. She Could Do Better

"She could do better."

Those words rang in his head every time he heard them. He could often hear the other students whispering behind their backs as he and his Antoinette made their way to class.

He knew she could too.

It baffled him every day. Antoinette was the school's sweetheart. No one understood why they were dating. They would whisper about it. They would go and tell her whenever the two were separated for any period of time. Ivar hated it. The thought of Antoinette believing it stayed in the back of his mind.

There wasn't a day that he didn't think about it. Antoinette would eventually realize she could do better. She would leave him for someone more… complete. More capable of protecting her and loving her. It got to him.

That was something his older brother, Sigurd, liked to throw in his face every chance he got. Whether it was at home or at school, Sigurd would taunt him. "She could do better," he'd snidely comment, "everyone knows that."

Ubbe, the kindest of all the Ragnarssons, would try to stop it. He always knew that eventually Sigurd's comments would send Ivar into one of his rages. Tantrums, really, not that Ivar would ever admit to it being one. Hvitserk would generally ignore it, only stepping in when he felt he had to. Even so, Ivar doubted that they would ever be able to honestly tell him that Sigurd was wrong.

"She really could do better."

Perhaps his mother, with all of her doting ways, would be able to tell him Sigurd was wrong and mean it. While she didn't hate Antoinette, she didn't think any girl was good enough for her sons. It was part motherly love, part ambition, and part ire at the girl Ubbe had once been with who had gotten pregnant with someone else's child in the months that Ubbe had been learning the family business from their father and eldest brother Bjorn out of state. And no mother wanted her children to face such things, even ones that could have done more for them growing up if her own self-hate and blame hadn't stopped her from giving them more love.

But it was nights like this when it really hit him. Even with her in his arms, content to simply be at his side, Sigurd's words stayed with him.

It had been another night of pain for him. Pain not often staved off by his medication when it was at its most intense. Regardless, His Antoinette had been there, ignoring his rather feeble attempts to make her leave. That's was why they were laying together in his bed now, his left arm around her waist.

He certainly loved Antoinette. He knew that to be true but couldn't quite bring himself to tell her that. There would certainly come a time when she would realize how much better she could do.

"You could do better," he found himself saying, "Why are you still with me?"

He tensed. Maybe she really would admit she could do better. Maybe she really would leave him. He kept his eyes on the ceiling.

"I don't think I can."

And for that, he was glad.


	3. Jealousy

Jealousy

Growing up, Sigurd had a lot of things to feel envious about. From Bjorn to Ivar, the list seemed never ending. Bjorn, eldest of his brothers, would surely inherit their family business. Ubbe, second eldest, would definitely work at his side, a plan he had made at a rather young age. Hvitserk, for all his flightiness, had found a steady stream of work with graphic design after college. Ivar, though he was just a college sophomore, had had many job offers from various fields due to his well-known intelligence.

It seemed, though, that recently he had more things to be jealous about concerning Ivar.

From a young age, Sigurd had found himself hating the youngest Ragnarsson. From the day of his birth, Ivar had been doted on by their mother. So much so that Sigurd had felt neglected. If he had been the one born a cripple, he knew it would have been different. "Mother blames herself," Ubbe had said rather nonchalantly, trying to explain away their mother's focus on Ivar, "She thinks his condition is her fault."

Whether that was true or not, Sigurd didn't know. He didn't often care either. The truth of the matter was that his mother had become a rather neglectful parent after the birth of the youngest son. It had evoked his jealousy for the first time. He often watched as his mother lavished her attentions on the crippled, boneless brat. He became more and more antagonistic against him as the years passed. He had found things out about his brother simply to throw them in his face or spread rumors throughout their school. When Ivar had first started at their college, Sigurd had spread the rumor of Ivar's impotence, sneering as he referred to his youngest brother as "Ivar the Boneless" among his friends and peers.

The instant Ivar had knocked out a junior student for calling him that, Sigurd knew of it. He had been watching, urging more people to jokingly call him "Boneless", spreading the story of Ivar's senior year of high school around as much as possible. Antagonizing his brother, after all, had become a favorite pass time of his from a young age.

It wasn't until the midyear point of the school year that Sigurd found out that Ivar was _dating_. He had scoffed about it, snidely commenting "who would date someone like that" to the friend who had told him the news that was spreading fast throughout campus. "Antoinette Jorgensen," the friend had laughingly stated, finding it to be just a funny rumor. It was during the next few months that people noticed it hadn't been just a rumor, Ivar the Boneless was Antoinette Jorgensen's boyfriend.

And Sigurd just couldn't wrap his head around it.

Antoinette was too good for Ivar. Everyone knew it, everyone said it or thought it. Some had even told Antoinette so to her face. She had been a well-known beauty amongst the freshman, catching the eye of many of their peers. Sigurd had never thought Ivar would have noticed her or that she would have noticed him. Such things was part of the reason Sigurd had spread the rumors. He didn't wish his brother _total_ unhappiness, he just wanted to make sure his options had been as limited as possible. After all, it would take a special kind of person to overlook all of his youngest brother's faults. And it seemed Antoinette was that kind of person.

It drove him into jealousy and anger towards his brother. Who would have thought that such a beautiful girl could ignore so many problems?

He knew she had born witness to some of their on campus fights, and, later, had witnessed their arguments at home. She had to notice Ivar's temper. Yet it didn't seem to affect her or their relationship. His pain and his crutches hadn't chased her away either.

"She could do better than you," had been a phrase used often against his brother, triggering his temper and, often, his tantrums. And still, they stuck together. Still, they gave each other love.

It enflamed Sigurd's jealousy. He hated it.


	4. Ubbe

Antoinette Jorgensen's favorite Ragnarsson was Ivar, that much was certain. However, Ubbe was probably a close second. The two had gotten along from the first day they met. Ubbe had treated her like a sister from the very beginning and praised his brother for his new girlfriend. She could tell, even from that first meeting, that Ivar perhaps loved Ubbe the most among his older brothers.

Bjorn, the eldest, hadn't really been a part of Ivar's life, after all. While he was smart and pragmatic, he and the younger Ragnarssons just weren't very close. "My father had an affair with my mother," Ivar had mentioned when she had asked why, "and he was already in his 20s when I was born."

Then there was Hvitserk. Artistic and always flirtatious. If he wasn't related to the girl, he was probably going to flirt with her. Just as he had when they first met, something Ubbe had warned him off of when he noticed the subtle clench of Ivar's jaw. "He's always like that," Ivar had said.

Of course, Sigurd and Ivar, though so close in age, just didn't get along. They probably never would, either. One or the other always started it with a cutting remark or sarcastic response. It always seemed to balloon into worse. But Ubbe was always there refereeing their many arguments, trying to stop them before it got out of hand. "Ivar is easy to anger," Ubbe had told her after she had witnessed one of their many fights in their house, "Sigurd knows that which is probably why he's always starting in with him."

"He's just jealous," Hvitserk had said scoffing, "he's always been. It's just that he had more to be jealous about now that Ivar has such a pretty girlfriend." He had sent a wink her way then, causing her to jokingly roll her eyes and Ubbe to hit him upside the head with a laugh.

There was just a part of Ubbe that always seemed sad. "His girlfriend cheated on him," Ivar had explained to her, anger is his eyes, "She even got pregnant with the other guy's kid."

But she didn't think that was all Ubbe was sad about. Perhaps he had really loved that girl. When she broached the subject with Ubbe, the summer between her freshman and sophomore year, he had just given her a sad smile and ignored the question completely. She could see why Ivar's jaw had clenched when he had mentioned that incident. She didn't even know who the girl was and she already hated her. Such a sad smile didn't belong on such a kind face.

Not long after that, she and Ivar had run into a blonde haired woman holding the hand of a dark haired boy no older than 3. Ivar just stared her down as she approached. The look on his face seemed to be enough to make the woman hurriedly walk away after she noticed him, heading towards a dark haired man. After that, Ivar had walked off as fast as he could, jaw still clenched.

"That was her, wasn't it?" Antoinette had asked. Ivar had just nodded his head, anger still written on his face. The two returned to Ivar's waiting chauffeur without the groceries they were going to purchase. Ivar hadn't said anything on their way to his place, simply opting to wrap an arm around her waist and bring her closer.

She couldn't help but wonder if he thought she might do the same to him one day. She absolutely never would. Never.


	5. Three Emotions

Three Emotions

Before meeting Antoinette, Ivar had only let himself feel certain emotions in his day to day life. Pain. Anger. Jealousy. Those were all pretty self-explanatory, even to people who didn't know him.

Pain was something he had felt from his childhood. Sure, it varied sometimes. From the everyday pain, the kind he could just ignore for the most part, to the pain so strong he could barely leave his bed on his own. Ubbe would always be there to help, Hvitserk sometimes as well. When his mother was home, she was his primary caretaker. At least she was until Antoinette had come into his life. For a while after the two had begun dating, the strongest pain was the kind of pain he tried to hide. What woman would want to deal with a man that needed a caretaker?

Sigurd had always told him that the only woman that would ever love him would be his mother. He had certainly grown to believe that more and more as years passed by. Especially after his senior year of high school, the time when he had earned the nickname he knew his brother had spread around their college campus, "Boneless". Surely, no woman would want a man like him.

Anger was something he let himself feel most of all. Whether it was towards Sigurd or just an after effect of the daily pain he felt, it was always there. It made people fear him. He knew that much. It kept people away from him, students and professors alike. They knew the effects of his anger. Most had surely witnessed the angry fights and arguments he and Sigurd regularly had. That, piled along with his deformed legs and nickname, had kept women well away from him. Before Antoinette, he hadn't really cared if it did or not. It was after meeting her that he let hopes build up. Hopes that would always get dragged back down by the words his brother would angrily spit at him. Even by hearing the word "Boneless" being whispered behind he back when people thought he couldn't hear them or wasn't paying enough attention to notice.

Jealousy came in waves. Prior to falling in love with Antoinette, he had only felt jealousy towards certain people. He was jealous of his brothers and all the relationships that could have and maintain. All the pain they didn't have to feel. Even the fact they could go about their daily lives without needing anyone to offer their helping hands or seeing pity filled looks thrown their way. After Ubbe's girlfriend had cheated on him, he had felt a small stirring of smugness as people sent him their pity for a change. But it all ended when he realized just how much Ubbe suffered from it.

The jealousy was stronger after Antoinette though. He'd notice things more. Other couples on campus could wander about, holding hands or wrapped in each other's arms. Boyfriends would be picking up their girlfriends, jokingly carrying them over puddles. It was the little things he knew he couldn't do that brought up his jealousy. It was all the things he wished he could do with Antoinette, especially as he fell more and more in love with her over their freshman year together. It almost hurt.

It was why Sigurd's words about her being too good for him always got to him. She really was too good for him. Deserved better. Like a guy whose hands she could hold whenever the mood struck. A guy she didn't need to take care of. She deserved a guy that could take care of her instead. Thoughts like that made everything so much worse for him. He felt the pain more acutely, the anger was easier to stir in him. It made telling her he loved her that much harder. She was just too good for him.

That's why he had to hold her so close when they were together. He just wanted to be able to hold her all the time. Even though he couldn't.


	6. Dates

Dates

For Antoinette, dating Ivar was a fun experience overall. He liked coming up with new date ideas and letting her plan her own. He usually went with her ideas without a fuss. Sometimes, though, she knew he regretted it.

Three months into their relationship, she had decided on going to the movie theater together to see some horror movie that was all gore and no skill. She knew he regretted going along with it even though he said nothing. It was in the look on his face seeing so many people eye them. Whisper about them.

Even three months in, they knew what was being said about them. They knew they were an odd couple at best. A crippled man who got around on crutches and an able bodied woman, not a caretaker but a girlfriend, someone that probably just pitied him. That was how people saw them. They often said as much. Like this guy that was trying to flirt with Anny in line for popcorn while Ivar was finding seats for them in the theater.

"Come on," the man had said, a smirk on his face, "you can't really be dating a guy like that."

"I am," Anny had answered, "not that it's any business of yours."

The man's smirk had faltered for a second, probably believing she'd admit to pitying Ivar. Like she'd admit he was the better choice after he had spent so long trying to convince her of that.

"But you're too hot for him," he had said more than once. As though looks had anything to do with how much she loved Ivar. She ignored him for the rest of the time he tried chatting her up, letting him get the hint that was done entertaining him. She hadn't even realized that Ivar had witnessed it. Had seen the look of pure annoyance on her face until he took her hand in the theater and squeezed it slightly.

"Sorry you had to deal with that," he had said. She turned to look at him then, but it was far too dark to make out his facial expression. He was probably angry. After things like that, he usually was.

"It's no big deal," Antoinette had answered, squeezing his hand back.

That time didn't compare at all to their park date. A mere 5 months into their relationship, they had a small picnic date at a park. Just for fun, nothing officially planned out. She knew some of the more nosy people were gossiping about them, whispering about them between each other. So many in the area knew who the Ragnarssons were, after all. Many definitely knew who Ivar was as well.

One particularly gutsy man had come up to her after had gone to the bathroom. After a period of Anny ignoring him, he had sneered at her. "You're too good for him," the man said, nudging her, "you have to know that. I mean, just look at you."

At that point, Antoinette had just rolled her eyes and finished packing up their picnic area. "I'm not too good for him," she had answered, "and I love him too much to care even if I was."

She just didn't realize Ivar had overheard her, an all too rare smile on his handsome face.


	7. Floki and Helga

Floki and Helga

Before Antoinette met either of Ivar's actual parents, she met his father figure Floki and his wife, Helga. If she had to describe them, Floki was like a storm, unpredictable sometimes and predictable at others. He was the type that was easiest to read the more you knew him. Helga, however, was probably his exact opposite. She was a calm day, a bit like the sun breaking through the clouds just after a rainstorm. They were perfect for each other.

She could see why Ivar and Floki got along so well. The man was kind under his unpredictability and cared deeply for him since he was born. He cared about all of his dear friend Ragnar's sons, certainly, but Ivar, who often had to rely on aid when he was younger, held a special place in his heart.

Helga, she could tell, didn't care for Ivar as much as her husband did. She wasn't surprised by that too much, though. Helga seemed all sunshine and smiles, not prone to anger or irrationality. Ivar was easy to anger and quick to snap. They just didn't mesh well together at all.

Even so, Helga was probably the nicest person she had ever met. Ivar had said she was a "mythology loving hippy" which was apparently part of the reason she and Floki had gotten along so well when they were just friends.

On the other hand, it was harder to get close to Floki. His sheer personality made that a difficult thing to attempt. He was wary of people he didn't know and protective of the one he did. Ivar had told her, simply, that he had suffered quite a few loses throughout his life. Most of all, he had even lost the only child he and Helga had ever been able to conceive. It had simply resulted him being even more protective of the few people in the world that he loved. That was why she understood why he was so suspicious of her.

"Don't hurt him," he said in the brief moment they were alone. There was an age to his voice then, despite the almost happy way he had been talking before. Now he was all grit, no happiness. "I won't," she had answered a small smile on her face.

"Good," he had replied before they fell into silence. Helga's return shifted the mood in the room again. It was back to happy words and silly stories. She had taken the chance to observe the two of them together while they basically ignored her in favor of basking in each other's company. They were sweet together in ways she couldn't quite put to words. Despite the loss of their only child, they still seemed to have a strong and unbreakable relationship together. Two hearts that beat in sync.

Antoinette could only hope she and Ivar could have the same one day.


	8. Aslaug

Aslaug

By the time Aslaug had met Antoinette, it was the summer between Ivar's freshman and sophomore years. She had been dropped off at home by a chauffeur after her vacation with her husband as he was off to deal with urgent business. She had noticed the two together in his bedroom, playing a game of chess together, the room full of their quips and laughter. "Who is that?" she had asked upon her return to the living room where her other children were watching some sports game. She never recalled Ivar mentioning any girl to her during their many phone calls and chats the past year.

Sigurd had been the one to answer her. With a sneer on his otherwise handsome face, he simply stated, "she's his girlfriend" and that was all.

Ubbe was the one to fill in the blanks for her. "Her name is Antoinette," Ubbe had said, stressing 'name' as he glanced over at his younger brother, "Ivar's apparently been dating her for a while now."

"He didn't tell me," Aslaug had almost whispered, "Are they serious?"

Sigurd had scoffed then before leaving the room. It wasn't unusual for him to leave the room she or Ivar were in after a few minutes, she knew he held a lot of hatred for them both. It was her fault and she knew that as well. "I suppose so," Ubbe had answered with a small smile, "They're sweet together."

They certainly were. She had watched them from the door as they played one of Ivar's video games together. His arms wrapped around her as he taught her the controls to some violent video game he liked to play.

Regardless of what they thought, Aslaug knew her children well. But she knew Ivar most of all. The look on his face as he kissed Antoinette told her all she needed to know about what her son thought of the girl he hadn't yet mentioned to her. Her youngest son was most definitely in love. There was no doubt about it.

She knocked her knuckles on the open door and Ivar looked at her. He didn't bother removing his arms from around the girl. If anything, they simply got tighter. It was as though he thought she might do something to hurt the girl he loved. Sure, no girl would ever be good enough in her eyes for any of her 4 sons, she would still allow them the chance to prove themselves before she made a final judgment.

"Who is this?" she asked, looking both of them over. The girl moved to stand up from the bed, but Ivar just wrapped her tightly in his arms and looked at her, shaking his head. "This is my girlfriend Antoinette," he said, pride in his voice as he watched his mother's expressions, "Antoinette, this is my mother."

It was only then that he let her move. The girl stood up and offered a hand for Aslaug to shake. "Hello," she had said, "It's nice to meet you."

Aslaug eyed the girl's hand for a moment before reaching out and hugging her. "It's nice to meet you as well."

She locked eyes with her son over the girl's shoulder. She had never seen him look so happy. She could only hope it lasted, no matter what life threw at them.

Hopefully Ragnar would like her as well. She would be good for their youngest son. Aslaug knew it without a doubt. His smile told her everything she needed to know about them. She would always cherish his rare smiles but if this girl made them more frequent, she wouldn't be found complaining.


	9. Fathers Part 1

Antoinette didn't know much about Ragnar Lothbrok beyond the gossip she had been told and the small things Ivar had told her about him.

From what she heard, Ragnar was an intimidating man often followed closely by his even more intimidating brother, Rollo. The two worked alongside each other in the family business and were said to be shrewd negotiators with cold personalities.

Despite that, the two men in front of her didn't seem anything like the rumors had stated. Even the small tidbits Ivar gave her didn't quite paint this picture.

The two men, for all of their apparent intimidating looks, were rather jovial. Rollo, for all of his gruffness, had a rooming but infectious laugh. Ragnar, supposedly cold and cordial at all times, had a smile she knew Ivar shared, the kind that could light up a room. The only thing different about it was the fact Ragnar smiled far more often.

Aslaug had chosen to introduce her husband and brother in law to Antoinette while Ivar had errands to run with Ubbe. It was apparently rather rare for either brother to have much time off, their business required quite a lot of time to dedicate to it regardless of how many employees there were.

"This is Antoinette," Aslaug had said when her brother in law asked, "She's Ivar's girlfriend."

Ragnar had raised an eyebrow and let out a small laugh. "He never told me about you," he had said, eying the unknown girl in front of him in a curious way, "how long have you been dating now?"

"Almost a year now," Antoinette had answered, bashfully. She had expected far worse of the supposedly intimidating men.

The rest of the meeting had gone rather easily. Rollo had broken the ice with stories of visiting his brother's youngest children when they were little and mentioned some embarrassing things Sigurd had done in his childhood. Ragnar had contributed with stories of the antics he, Rollo, and Floki had gotten into when they were younger. Even Aslaug had contributed stories on the ridiculous things her children had done when they were younger. All in all, it had been a rather good meeting. Despite that, when Ivar and Ubbe had returned, they had seemed gather gob smacked at the scene in front of them.

The two had walked in while Antoinette was contributing a story of her own to uproarious laughter from the men while Aslaug was fetching more beer. Ivar had come over then, seemingly unable to say anything at the scene he had witnessed.

"They don't get along with people they don't know very well," Ivar had explained to her early the next day when she asked, "They don't trust people enough to be so easygoing with him." He had smiled at her then, bright and so much like his father's.

Maybe that was true but hopefully their easygoing personas that night had meant that they liked her for Ivar. If so, she could deal with anything anyone else threw at her


	10. Fathers Part 2

Ivar Ragnarsson hadn't imagined he would meet his Antoinette's father at any point in their relationship. He had been told plenty about him though.

While Antoinette was his opposite, bright as the sun, he hadn't quite thought she was the opposite of her father too. The man was nothing like Ivar though. While Ivar struck in anger, her father struck at whim. While Ivar never lay a hand on someone he claimed to love, her father most certainly had. It was why Antoinette wanted nothing to do with him.

Growing up, Antoinette, while she hadn't been subjected to her father's punches like her mother, had witnessed the abuse her mother suffered and had been subjected to verbal and emotional abuse. She had grown thinking no one would care about what was going on in the house she had lived in from what her father had spat at her every day. She grew up in a home he wouldn't have imagined for her. It wasn't until she was 12, almost 10 years before he had met her, that her mother had finally gotten away from her father and gotten him thrown in jail after a particularly bad beating.

10 years was exactly how long the man had gotten in prison. He had apparently gotten out without much fuss in 8 and was now living in the same town as his daughter. The same place as Ivar's Antoinette. And he just couldn't have that.

That was why he and Ubbe were off watching the man's movements. He stuck out really, like a piece of hay among nails. The man didn't have much by way of muscle and had a good amount of obvious prison tattoos on his arms. Every day, though, the man walked by the college campus. Every day, he got a little closer to finding Antoinette. Ivar just couldn't have that. He wouldn't allow that man back into his Antoinette's life.

When they awoke in the morning, it was to a phone call from Antoinette's mother to her cell phone. Apparently, her father had suddenly gone missing. Her mother was elated, it meant she could stop worrying and looking over her shoulder for him to suddenly appear behind her. It meant Antoinette could go about her day and never have to worry about running into him. It made Antoinette happy, a beautiful smile beaming across her face before she excitedly gave the news to Ivar.

Apparently, her father had missed a scheduled appointment with his parole officer the day before and couldn't be reached. A search of his house had shown all of his clothes and a few other items were missing. Even if he showed up again, he would be thrown in jail without question.

Ivar didn't care if she never knew it was because of him and Ubbe. The man was out of town now, fearing for his life and aware of what would happen should he ever attempt to contact either Antoinette or her mother. He didn't mind that she didn't know that.

He would do it all again. He would do worse, even.

Love had ensured that. And he loved Antoinette more than he ever thought he could love anyone. He would make sure she had all she needed as long as she would have him. He would protect her however he could, no matter who it was from.

He was never going to let anyone harm his Antoinette, a silent promise he would keep.


	11. Winter

Ivar Ragnarsson hated Winter. It always made his bones ache more. Made his days far worse than any other season.

He met Antoinette Jorgensen before their freshman year ever started. It had taken a few months before he had gotten up the nerve to try friendship with someone he barely knew. It was a little while after that before they started dating officially. She managed to make a lot of things more bearable, even Winter.

He confided in her about a lot of things he had never really voiced. He had kept his aches and pains quiet, not wanting to give his family more reasons to hover or Sigurd more reasons to prod at him. With Antoinette, his Anny, he had a feeling of comfort and contentment around her. She knew all his secrets, all of the ones that he felt comfortable in telling her.

Even now, she was at his side. It was one of the many nights that had spent together, just snuggling close and watching movies that she had called "terrible but hilarious". She had bustled around, bringing him whatever he wanted and massaging the aches from his legs. He wanted nothing more than to tell her one of the secrets he hadn't managed to voice yet.

He was so in love with her.


End file.
